Sewer system sought for Fayette mobile court 5.14

Written by David Green.

The Fulton County Commissioners will try again to obtain a $100,000 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for a proposed sewer line to connect the Riviera Mobile Court with Fayette’s municipal treatment system.

Fayette village council members, however, are not in favor of accepting the added sewage.

A public hearing was scheduled last October to collect public opinion on the proposal, but funding for the project was not approved.

A public hearing is scheduled at 9:45 a.m. May 29 in the Commissioners’ board room in Wauseon to collect opinion once again before filing a funding request.

The project calls for construction of a pump house and 2,000-foot forced main from the court located south of Fayette on St. Rt. 66.

The line would serve 15 mobile homes and possibly the house on the property. Tapping into the line by other users would not be allowed, said Fulton County Sanitary Engineer Ziad Mussallam.

The mobile home court is owned by Clemenson Investments, but the county would own the line because federal CDBG funding can only be used for public projects. The Ohio EPA has ordered the owners to upgrade the existing sewage treatment system or join in the village system.

Fayette village council members voted in October 2006 to accept a proposal to handle the mobile court sewage, contingent on approval by the Ohio EPA and a determination of sufficient capacity.

The village system is already nearing capacity and construction of the new K-12 school will add to the system.

The issue was discussed at the May 8 village council meeting, with council members expressing opposition to the plan. Council’s public works committee recommended to Mussallam that a one-year evaluation period should follow the opening of the new school before any additional sewage is brought into the system.

GAMES DAY—Finn Molitierno (right) celebrates a goal during a game of Nok Hockey with his sister, Kyla. The two tried out a variety of games Saturday at Stair District Library’s annual International Games Day event. One of the activities featured a sort of scavenger hunt in which participants had to locate facts presented in the Smithsonian Hometown Teams exhibit. The traveling show left Morenci’s library Tuesday, wrapping up a series of programs that began Oct. 2. Additional photos are on page 7.

STRANGE STUFF—Morenci Elementary School students learn that blue isn’t really blue when seen through the right color of lens. Volunteer April Pike presents the lesson to students at one of the many stations brought to the school by the COSI science center. The theme of this year’s visit was the solar system.

MAPLE leaves show their fall colors in a puddle at Morenci’s Riverside Natural Area. “This was a great year for colors,” said local weather watcher George Isobar. Chilly mornings will give way to seasonable fall temperatures for the next two weeks.

MORENCI Marching Band member Brittany Dennis keeps the beat Friday during the half-time show of the Morenci/Pittsford football game. Color guard member Jordan Cordts is at the left. The band performed this season under the direction of Doyle Rodenbeck who served as Morenci’s band director in the 1970s. He’s serving as a substitute during a family leave.

MOVING EAST—Utility workers continue their slow progress east along U.S. 20 south of Morenci. New electrical poles are put in place before wiring is moved into place.

A PERFORMER named Biligbaatar, a member of the AnDa Union troupe from Inner Mongolia, dances at Stair District Library last week during a visit to the Midwest. The nine-member group blends a variety of traditions from Inner and Outer Mongolia. The music is described as drawing from “all the Mongol tribes that Genghis Khan unified.” The group considers itself music gatherers whose goal is to preserve traditional sounds of Mongolia. Biligbaatar grew up among traditional herders who live in yurts. Additional photos are on the back page of this week’s Observer.

HOLDEN HUTCHISON gives a hug to a black bear cub—the product of a taxidermist’s skills—at the Michigan DNR’s Great Youth Jamboree. The event on Sunday marked the fourth year of the Jamboree. Additional photos are on page 12.